Bride finds wedding dress and photos unharmed following fire

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WJCL) – Gabriel and Rachel Hayden sat clutching hands Monday thinking about how easy married life has been. “It’s all been ups,” said Rachel Hayden.

The two got married last month. “It was wonderful,” said Rachel Hayden. “I married my best friend.”

It’s not just marriage they’re thankful for. Gabriel got a promotion, which took them to Savannah.

But everything changed this weekend when the couple heard chainsaws.

“I was immediately concerned and looked out the window and saw fire trucks,” said Gabriel Hayden.

Their building at the Waterford Plantation complex caught fire after firefighters believe lightening struck it. “We were on the second floor the entire ceiling and roof collapsed into the apartment,” said Gabriel Hayden.

The Hayden’s thought all of their possession were lost until they went back and discovered the wedding dress and photos didn’t get ruined.

“Mind blowing,” said Rachel Hayden. “I was really; really overwhelmed that it was ok.”

“I cried, yeah,” said Gabriel Hayden. A situation that even surprised American Red Cross workers.

“For the lady to be able to save her wedding dress and wedding pictures, that’s amazing,” said American Red Cross emergency services program manager Sharyn Baggett. “Someone was looking out for them.”

The American Red Cross is not just helping the Hayden’s but everyone that used to live in this complex. It wasn’t just a few units. A number of places received extensive damage and the Red Cross says to give everyone here the essentials will cost more than $10,000.

No one was hurt. But the fire left 20 people homeless.

And while many things were destroyed, the Haydens are glad to have each other and memories that they hope will last a lifetime. “Obviously the fire is a down but we’ll get through it,” said Rachel Hayden.

The Red Cross had to declare a disaster relief operation because of the scale of the fire. If you want to help, click here.